The fulfilment of our vision will be the result of valuing what God values as reflected in the life of the early Church (Acts 2:42-47)
1. The Church as "Community".
The basis of our church life is involvement in a neighbourhood church. The intimacy and commitment of this enables us to foster meaningful relationships and provides a context for us to DO the "one anothers" of scripture. These are summed up in the command to "love one another". The church community isn't just the "adults" but it incorporates all the members of the households represented by the community. Times of corporate celebration (when the neighbourhood churches come together) are the overflow of the life of a vibrant church community. Neighbourhood Church retreats are also an important part of developing community life.
2. Every Member A Minister.
The neighbourhood church involves each person being affirmed in their area of giftedness and encouraged to be a minister one to the other. Leadership (N/Ch pastors, supervisors, area pastors etc) is in place to serve and facilitate this every member ministry.
3. Prayer and Dependence on God.
Ruach means, "Breath of God". All we plan or do must be initiated by God and sustained by God. It involves us spending the time to hear from God, personally and corporately, and then stepping out in faith to do His will.
4. Spiritual Renewal.
Although our vision is about a new wineskin for the church, we need a constant flow of the new wine into our individual and corporate life to fill that wineskin. This spiritual renewal will be evidenced, among other things, by Spirit filled and Spirit led worship times and earnest prayer.
5. Body Life Evangelism.
The heart of Jesus the Shepherd is for the sheep that are lost. The heart of the Church will be the same. We want to see people becoming Christians. But, rather than majoring on evangelistic events, we encourage relational outreach. Each neighbourhood church member is praying about their network of friends and family (oikos) who aren't Christians. Then, being supported by the cell church, they reach out along relational lines. In addition to this, because of the vibrancy and life of the church community (see points 1-4) unbelievers are seeing the power of God and then wanting to know more about God. The message of the gospel can then be shared.
6. Unity across the Wider Church.
We may think neighbourhood churches are the best way to "church" but they are certainly not the only way. Therefore we are committed to fostering good relations with the whole Body of Christ and working together to see God's Kingdom come. We also appreciate that people join Ruach with a variety of theological backgrounds. We encourage this diversity and ask for theological agreement only in the essentials of the Christian Faith (see doctrine statement).
7. Whole of Life Discipleship.
Jesus died to secure us as His possession. He is Lord. We are not our own. Everything we are and all that we have belongs to Him. As disciples, we are called to obedient to the will of Christ, wise stewards with what God has given and generous with what we have.
Another way to think about these 7 values is by using the simple acrostic:
R.U.A.C.H. I.S
These values can be summarised to include:
R eaching out to those who are not Christians yet
U nity and fellowship with the wider Church
A vailability and obedience to Christ as Lord
C onstantly being renewed by the Spirit and the Word
H eart felt devotion to God expressed in prayer and worship
I nvestment in growing cell-based Christian communities
S erving one another with our God given gifts